Monday, September 3, 2012

Review of Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 384
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 stars

Summary from Goodreads:  No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that  horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. Echo and Noah couldn’t be more different, but they find themselves united by a common goal: to sneak into their court-  ordered social worker’s case files in order to learn the truth about themselves and their families. What they didn’t count on is falling in love -- and now Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I crave a good love story.  The heat, the passion, the drama...I live for it.  Katie McGarry's debut novel, Pushing the Limits, satisfied that need and more. 

Echo and Noah are an unexpected, yet deliciously scandalous and completely right couple.  They are opposites on the outside, but share so much pain on the inside.  I loved how unique these characters were.  They were not your typical "popular cheerleader and sexy bad boy" couple, instead they had depth and an array of problems that haven't really been touched on much in the YA world.  They were refreshing and while at times you felt sorry for them, or wanted to strangle them, by the end you will admire their strength and who they've become. 

As crazy as it sounds, I absolutely loved exploring the traumatic experiences that plagued Echo and Noah.  Looking into their therapy with Mrs. Collins and how each of them dealt with their situations and waring emotions was fascinating.  I have no experience with their issues and it was interesting to see different techniques that their counselor used.  I liked how unconventional Mrs. Collins seemed and how she seemed to really care about Echo and Noah, not just with overcoming their issues, but also about them and their everyday lives. 

The writing was good, but at times seemed a little disconnected.  However, I loved the alternating points of view between Echo and Noah.  I loved seeing both sides of their times together and also how each person dealt with their circumstances.  They are intriguing people and getting a look into both of their thoughts added immensely to the story.   

Overall this was a great book that I really enjoyed! 



4 comments:

  1. I really loved this book, and if you look at it from a teen perspective, they are going to really love it. I've had so many in here lately asking for Elkeles' books -- they are all checked out, so I'll be pointing them to this one. Great review.

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  2. I really loved this book - it was one of them books I devoured. Loved it!

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  3. This book surprised me. I'm not into contemp YA that much, but I really enjoyed this one. So glad you did as well.

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  4. I loved how this story didn't follow the typical bad boy/good girl trope. I felt that some of Noah's dialogue was a little off but otherwise I adored this book.

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